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Message:: [QUOTE="Clinker, post: 285336, member: 6229"]On November 13, 1861, with the nation embroiled in civil war, a small-town Pennsylvania preacher (Reverend N. R. Watkinson) sat down to write a letter. It was addressed to Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury under President Lincoln. He strongly suggested adding a phrase to the U.S. coinage about God so America wouldn't be thought of as a heathon nation. Exactly one week later, on November 20, 1861, Secretary Chase wrote to Mint Director James Pollack, "Treasury Department, Nov. 20, 1861""Dear Sir:"  "No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins. You will cause a device to be prepared without unnecessary delay with a motto expressing in the fewest and tersest words possible this national recognition." NOTE: First Uses of "IN GOD WE TRUST" On Circulating Coinage: 1964 Two-cent piece<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie3" alt=":(" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />images courtesy Coin Facts) <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/two_cents/two_cents_by_date.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/two_cents/two_cents_by_date.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/two_cents/two_cents_by_date.html</a> 1866 Quarter (image courtesy of Don's World Coin Gallery) <a href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coin.php?image=img4/US-25c866&desc=U.S.A.%20Quarter%20Dollar%20km98%20(1866-1891)%20Liberty%20Seated%20w/%20motto" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coin.php?image=img4/US-25c866&desc=U.S.A.%20Quarter%20Dollar%20km98%20(1866-1891)%20Liberty%20Seated%20w/%20motto" rel="nofollow">http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coin.php?image=img4/US-25c866&desc=U.S.A. Quarter Dollar km98 (1866-1891) Liberty Seated w/ motto</a> 1866 Half Dollar (image courtesy of Coin Facts) <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/half_dollars/seated_liberty_half_dollars/1866_half_dollar_with_motto.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/half_dollars/seated_liberty_half_dollars/1866_half_dollar_with_motto.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/half_dollars/seated_liberty_half_dollars/1866_half_dollar_with_motto.htm</a> 1866 Dollar (image courtesy Coin Facts) <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/silver_dollars/seated_liberty_dollars/1866_silver_dollar.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/silver_dollars/seated_liberty_dollars/1866_silver_dollar.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/silver_dollars/seated_liberty_dollars/1866_silver_dollar.htm</a> and the following 1866 gold coins:  (image courtesy of Coin Facts)  "Another Act of Congress passed on March 3, 1865 which allowed the Mint Director, with the Secretary's approval, to place the motto on all gold and silver coins that "shall admit the inscription thereon."  "Under the Act, the motto was placed on the gold Double Eagle coin, the gold Eagle coin and the gold Half Eagle coin."  Here's the $5 Gold Half-eagle (image courtesy of Coin Facts) <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/half_eagles/with_motto_half_eagles/1866_liberty_head_half_eagle.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/half_eagles/with_motto_half_eagles/1866_liberty_head_half_eagle.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/half_eagles/with_motto_half_eagles/1866_liberty_head_half_eagle.htm</a> Here's the $10 Gold Eagle (image courtesy of Coin Facts) <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/eagles/liberty_with_motto_eagles/eagles_liberty_head_with_motto.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/eagles/liberty_with_motto_eagles/eagles_liberty_head_with_motto.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/eagles/liberty_with_motto_eagles/eagles_liberty_head_with_motto.htm</a> Here's the $20 Gold Double Eagle <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/double_eagles/liberty_head_with_motto.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/double_eagles/liberty_head_with_motto.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/double_eagles/liberty_head_with_motto.htm</a> 1909 Lincoln One Cent: (image courtesy of Coin Facts) <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/small_cents/lincoln_cents/wheat_ear_cents/1909s_vdb_cent.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/small_cents/lincoln_cents/wheat_ear_cents/1909s_vdb_cent.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/small_cents/lincoln_cents/wheat_ear_cents/1909s_vdb_cent.htm</a> 1916 Ten cent (image courtesy Coin Facts) <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/dimes/mercury_head_dimes.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/dimes/mercury_head_dimes.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/dimes/mercury_head_dimes.html</a> 1866 5 cent coin: (image courtesy of coin Facts) <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/nickels/shield_nickels/shield_nickels.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/nickels/shield_nickels/shield_nickels.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/nickels/shield_nickels/shield_nickels.html</a> NOTE: In1883 the motto disappeared from the nickel and did not reappear until 1938. 1938 Five cent: (image courtesy of Coin Facts <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/nickels/jefferson_nickels/jefferson_nickels.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/nickels/jefferson_nickels/jefferson_nickels.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/nickels/jefferson_nickels/jefferson_nickels.html</a>  NOTE: A law was passed by the 84th United States Congress (Public Law 84-140) and approved by the President of the United States on July 30,1956. The President approved a joint resolution declaring In God We Trust the national motto of the United States..This is not the end of this trivia:  The motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" wasn't the first version of the American motto: First opposion against this law pointed out the "separation of church and state" safegaurds guaranteed by the Constitution. It was agreed by the majority "IN GOD WE TRUST" did not infringe upon an individual's right to practice any particular religion. As you know, before coins are struck, patterns are created in various metals and struck to see the results. Since the acceptance by Pollard to create a motto was agreed upon in 1861, but not consumated until 1864, several patterns were made with various versions of the motto. Those versions read: "GOD OUR TRUST" (the tersest)"GOD AND OUR COUNTRY" (the longest/largest)"IN GOD WE TRUST" (the accepted version) Here's some of those Patterns: 1861 Half Dollar pattern in silver: (images courtesy of uspatterns.com and Heritage) 1861 Half Dollar pattern in copper: "GOD OUR TRUST" on ribbon: <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1943_8393237" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1943_8393237" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1943_8393237</a> "GOD OUR TRUST" no ribbon: <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1943_8453379" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1943_8453379" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1943_8453379</a> NOTE: These same two patterns were repeated in 1862 and 1863 in both metals. 1861 $20 Eagle pattern in copper: (image courtesy of Coin Facts) <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/patterns/1861_patterns/judd_285.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/patterns/1861_patterns/judd_285.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/patterns/1861_patterns/judd_285.htm</a> NOTE: The motto on the ribbon.  Here's another without ribbon: <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/patterns/1861_patterns/judd_287.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/patterns/1861_patterns/judd_287.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/patterns/1861_patterns/judd_287.htm</a> NOTE: These two pattern designs were struck in silver and copper and both designs and metals were restruck in 1862 and 1863. 1863 Pattern Two Cent Piece: (image courtesy of Coin Facts) "GOD OUR TRUST" <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/patterns/1863_patterns/judd_0312.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/patterns/1863_patterns/judd_0312.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/patterns/1863_patterns/judd_0312.htm</a> This 1863 Two Cent Piece image is courtesy of uspatterns.com and Heritage): ""GOD AND OUR COUNTRY" (struck in Bronze, Copper-Nickel, Oroide and Aluminum). <a href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_39641255" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_39641255" rel="nofollow">http://store1.yimg.com/I/uspatterns_1794_39641255</a> Hope you enjoyed learning this... Clinker[/QUOTE]

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